The Belgian Gaming Commission, which banned betting ads during sports broadcasts last June, was accepting industry comments and suggestions on the measure by October 4. The ban was enforced after the Belgian government found online gaming ads to be “ubiquitous,” with more than 1 million users identifying with registered providers.
According to current restrictions, ads for sportsbooks may not be shown during live sports broadcasts, but are allowed before and after the start of the event. There’s also a 15-minute window before and after child-centered programming in which such advertisements cannot be presented.
Promotion of prizes anywhere but operator websites is also prohibited, and offers to repay players for damages are also forbidden, according to media reports. In addition, players must honor a €500 (US$548) weekly spending cap, which can be lowered with immediate effect. Players can request a spending limit increase but must wait three days until a credit check is conducted.
All advertisements must also bear the message, “Jouez avec modération” (Play in moderation) message, which must account for at least 4 percent of the advertising space.
